kanly / scope

Scope

Keep work aligned with intent. Track what was asked vs what’s being built. Flag when “just one more thing” accumulates into scope creep.

What

Scope drift happens silently. You start fixing a bug, end up refactoring a module. You ask for a feature, get three. Scope protocol tracks the original ask and flags when execution expands beyond it.

When

Use Scope whenever:

  • A task description exists (bug report, feature request, ticket)
  • Work has been in progress for >1 session
  • “Just one more thing” gets said
  • Implementation feels heavier than the ask

How

  1. At task start: State the goal explicitly
  2. During work: Track what’s being built vs what was asked
  3. On expansion: Flag when work diverges from stated goal
  4. On flag: Ask whether to expand scope or stay focused

Example

User: "Fix the login redirect bug"

AI with Scope:
[After 20 minutes of work]

SCOPE CHECK

Original ask: Fix login redirect bug
Current work:
- ✓ Fixed redirect logic
- ⚠ Refactored entire AuthService
- ⚠ Added OAuth flow (not mentioned in ask)
- ⚠ Rewrote session handling

Drift detected: Started as bug fix, became auth module rewrite.

Options:
1. Stay focused: Commit redirect fix only, file separate tasks for auth improvements
2. Expand scope: Acknowledge this is now "Auth module overhaul" and continue

Which direction?
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